Red River Expedition (apr 19, 1806 – feb 1, 1807)
Description:
AKA: Freeman-Custis ExpeditionFreeman Red River Expedition
Sparks Expedition
the Exploring Expedition of Red River
one of the first civilian scientific expeditions to explore the Southwestern United States. It was ordered to find the headwaters of the Red River (Red River of the South) from the Mississippi River as a possible trading route to Santa Fe, then under Spanish colonial control in New Mexico; to contact Native American peoples for trading purposes; to collect data on flora, fauna, and topography, and map the country and river; and to assess the land for settlement. The Spanish officials intercepted the expedition 615 miles upriver, in what is now northeastern Texas, and turned it back before the party achieved all of its goals.
Added to timeline:
Date:
apr 19, 1806
feb 1, 1807
~ 9 months
